Senate Rejects Feinstein's Egg Bill

SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Humane
Farming Association (HFA) and a coalition of animal protection organizations
are applauding the Senate's rejection of Senator Dianne Feinstein's
controversial "Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012" (S. 3239) to
the Farm Bill. Referred to by many as the Rotten Egg Bill, Feinstein's
measure is modeled on a similar bill (H.R. 3798) that was introduced by Rep.
Kurt Schrader in the House earlier this year over the vehement objections of
animal advocates nationwide.

"We applaud this Senate action which puts the rights and best interests
of the American public ahead of the cynical political interests of the egg
industry," said Bradley Miller, National Director of the Humane Farming
Association. "The egg industry is seeking to establish egg factory cages as
a national standard that could never be challenged or changed by state law
or public vote," continued Miller. "Senator Feinstein's amendments would
preempt state laws, such as California's Proposition 2, and is a direct
assault upon egg laying hens', voters', and states' rights."

S. 3239 and H.R. 3798 would codify a controversial deal between the
United Egg Producers (UEP) — the egg industry trade association recently
sued for an alleged price-fixing scheme — and the Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS), which is now endorsing the same egg factory cages it
had long opposed.

"The Rotten Egg Bill would be disastrous for laying hens who would be
forever locked in cages — as well as for millions of voters whose rights
would be traded away," said Miller.

UEP Price Fixing Scandal Limits Support for Egg Bill

The Humane Farming Association had recently expanded its ad campaign to
further expose UEP's price-fixing scandal. UEP and several of the egg
companies it represents have been sued repeatedly for alleged illegal price
fixing, paying $25 million to settle allegations that they illegally
manipulated the price and supply of eggs under the guise of instituting
standards for animal welfare.

With active lawsuits pending against them from companies such as General
Mills and Kraft Foods — UEP and its co-defendants are asking Congress to
codify a set of standards that would, in effect, provide legal cover for the
very activities of which they stand accused.

"Fortunately, very few Senators appear willing to jump in the middle of
an ongoing price-fixing scandal just to placate an egg industry trade
association and a co-opted humane organization," said Miller.

"According to the bill's own sponsor, this was introduced to protect the
economic interests of the egg industry," said Miller. "The American public
overwhelmingly supports the banning of egg factory cages, not measures such
as this which would ban the outlawing of cages. Such moves clearly subvert
the will of the people."

Widespread Opposition From Animal Organizations, Advocates

"There is no such thing as an 'enriched' battery cage. This is an
outrageous attempt by the egg industry and its cohorts to enrich themselves
at the expense of laying hens and the public at large," said Priscilla
Feral, President of Friends of Animals.

"The cages defined by the legislation will in no meaningful way reduce
the unimaginable suffering endured by the hens," said Nedim C. Buyukmihci,
V.M.D., Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Medicine at U.C. Davis. (Read full
statement here.)

"Even if this measure passes, the majority of hens will remain entombed
in battery cages on factory farms," said Karen Davis, Ph.D., President of
United Poultry Concerns. "They will be locked into a federal law
administered by the USDA which does not even enforce the 54-year-old 'Humane
Slaughter Act.'"

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